Religion

5/19/05

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Having mass media all around us, makes it extremely difficult to even turn to a

corner without having to see some type of advertisement. These advertisements that are

becoming more and more useful in selling a product have also been constantly changing

our culture. With advertisements continuously surrounding people, it is no wonder to see

how as consumers we have become an easy target towards manipulation. Advertising

creates needs, encourages over consumption, warps American culture, and makes us

insecure about ourselves through advertisement making people uncomfortable with there

own bodies while using emotional appeal, portraying dream like worlds, and turning

consumers into objects.

With mass media at an ultimate high, it is no wonder to see why some people begin

to feel uncomfortable in their own skin after watching certain advertisements. The

advertisements appear to portray dreams to which the majority of people would love to

change about themselves. Advertisers continuously show images of thinner, taller, and

towards more younger males and females on their ads. These ideals of the "perfect person

with the perfect body" are being imposed on those who do not fit into the category. By

presenting this ideal, which is a look difficult to achieve and maintain, product industries

are growing in profits. (Gerber) They portray beautiful, thin people having a great time

with whatever product that is being sold. Not only do advertisers make a person who does

not encompass the qualities uncomfortable in their own skin, but makes them want to

become just like the people in their ads. (Holt 26-28) For example, the women portrayed

in Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue are looked at as somewhat of a threat to the average

women or man. In a letter written to Rev. Michael C. McFarland by Arthur G. Mattei, a

mass communication major, he wrote on how "From beer commercials to Victoria's

Secret to Howard Stern to MTV to Sports Illustrated swimsuit issues, etc., the nauseating

message is the same. What troubles me deeply that in 2003 these unhealthy aspects of the

culture are being funded and fueled by the establishment-corporate America, the big

money and influence". (Mattei 1) Taking into consideration of the fact that these

advertising companies target their idea of the perfect women or man, it becomes the

consumers choice whether or not to buy their products. But with the millions of dollars

that these companies make, there is no doubt that they will never stop targeting specific

audiences to get a hold of them emotionally. These advertisements hurt women's body

image as they will always feel like their not skinny enough, or they do not have the

perfect hair, make up, eyes, and the list goes on and on. For men, they do the same in

making them feel as they will never have enough muscles, nice hair, good physique and

etc. Still advertisements often do not affirmatively urge the consumer to buy a given

product, they basically promise that the products enhance a person's life. Although, most

of the time, these body image based advertisements main audience is targeted at teens to

middle-aged adults.

Advertising controls targeted viewers through emotional appeal primarily with

feelings such as "humor, fear, and self idealization" (Holt 2004). Advertisers believe that

in order for the product to stay in the consumers mind, other than through repetition is

with emotion, emotional advertisements "improve a brand's impression, personality, and

value with feelings" (Gerber 2). Most of the time companies cannot go wrong with

humor. But they must have in mind that as companies using humor to target an audience

they still have to get the message out. For example, Leo Goodwin, the owner of Geico, a

big insurance company, is known to be a humorous man, and can be seen through the

type of commercials he wants his company to release. With this funny advertisements he

was able to gain thousands of new customers, just by the mere fact that they knew his

company by the advertisements he used. Humor is looked upon as something which is a

"can't loose method" (Holt 205-207). On the other hand, when advertisers are seeking to

gain an audience with fear, they may have a more difficult time. With fear there must be

a solution